The Decline of the Reservist Army

Every spring, with great pomp and circumstance, Israel celebrates the contribution of the reservists to the country’s security, and political and military leaders laud the contribution of reserve soldiers to national security. In 2011, however, discordant notes marred the festive event, namely the ongoing protest by organizations of reservists about the gap between the nation’s commitments and their ful llment. The protest by reservists was heard while the President of Israel and the IDF Chief of Staff visited the Ze’elim training base and during a stormy debate in the Knesset. The IDF reserves, formerly the backbone of the military’s force, is now at a crossroads, and it appears that even the IDF command and the political echelon are not sure how to reshape it. This essay argues that a combination of political and economic costs involved in operating the reserves is accelerating the decline of this force, and is part of the general move towards the transformation of the IDF from conscript to professional army.